Convertible crib, chair, and tray structure for infants



Sept. 5, 1950 J. W..LAWTION 2,520,941

- CONVERTIBLE CRIB, CHAIR, AND TRAY' STRUCTURE FOR INFANTS Filed May 24, 1948 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 James W. Lawton INVENTOR.

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p 1950 J. w. LAWTON 2,520,941

CONVERTIBLE CRIB, CHAIR, AND TRAY STRUCTURE FOR INFANTS Filed May 24, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1, 20 F :1E James W. Lawton y INVENTOR.

I f 7- BY m g 2 l7 5' W MW Sept. 5, 1950 J. w. LAWTON 2,520,941

CONVERTIBLE CRIB, CHAIR, AND TRAY STRUCTURE FOR INFANTS Filed May 24, 1948 I -l3 Sh eets-Sheet 3 Fig 4 James W. Law/0n INVENTOR.

Q I BY w k w Patented Sept. 5, 1950 CONVERTIBLE CRIB, CHAIR, AND 'IRA STRUCTURE FOR INFANTS James W. Lawton, Shreveport, La., assignor to Wink, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application May 24, 1948, Serial No. 28,883

3 Claims. 01. 155-44)- My invention relates to improvements in convertible crib, chair and tray structures of the folding type for infants.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simply constructed, convertible, folding structure of the type indicated which is adapted for use on the floor, in a nursery, or the like, as a crib, or as a chair and tray combination, and is equipped for attachment to an automobile seat for similar use on the road in transporting an infant.

Another object is to provide a device of the character and for the purpose above specified which is especially arranged for quick easy folding into a compact bundle for storage or carrying in an automobile when not in use.

Still another object is to provide such a device that is safe, well adapted to withstand rough use, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other and subordinate objects, within the purview of my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my convertible crib, chair and tray structure, in a preferred embodiment thereof, converted into a crib;

Figure 2 is a view of the same folded and drawn to a larger scale;

Figure 3 is a view in plan of the same unfolded and drawn to a smaller scale;

Figure 4 is a view in longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 4-4 in Figure 3 and drawn to a larger scale;

Figure 5 is a similar view with the seat and foot rest folded and the back rest fastened in the opening in the bottom of the crib frame;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary composite View in perspective of one of the side panels and one of the side extension panels with the reinforcing bar therefore shown detached;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective illustrating the manner in which the crib frame is attached to an automobile seat;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in perspective, partly in section, of the same drawn to a larger scale.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the basic component of my invention is an elongated, rectangular, shallow crib frame I comprising side and end panels 2, 3 secured together by screws 4 with a bottom panel 5 having edges mortised into said panels 2, 3 as at 6. The bottom panel 5 has formed therein an elongated rectangular opening I in the center at one end thereof and adjacent to one end of said frame I. Side bars 8 extend along the bottom panel 5 on the bottom thereof and along side edges of the opening I and are suitably secured to said panel 5 to serve as supports for hanger rods presently described." .A re inforcing bar 9 extends along the bottom panel 5 on the bottom thereof and along what constitutes the rear end edge of the opening I and is suitably secured thereto to form a reinforcing brace for a back rest presently described. A cross bar 1 on the bottom panel 5 braces the same.

Castor equipped corner legs II] are hinged, as at II, to right angled bracket members I2 suitably secured to the bottom edge of the crib frame I at the corners thereof, said legs III forming end pairs on said frame I adapted to fold under said frame and into the same with one leg in each pair folding along side one side panel 2 and-the,

other leg in the pair folding along side the adjacent end panel 3 as shown, for instance, in Figure 2. Stay bars I3 are pivoted at one end, as at It, on the bracket members I2 to slide in suitable keepers I5 on the legs ID and are resiliently urged outwardly and engage nubs I6. It can be appreciated that the stay bars I3 press against the nubs or enlarged portions IS on the keepers I5 and tend to hold the legs ID in unfolded position. The stay bars I3 may be pressed inwardly to free the stay bars from the nubs It so that the legs may be folded. The stay bars I3 swing on pivots I4 during folding of the legs I0 and slide in the keepers I 5 into parallelism with the folded legs, as shown in Figure 2, and react against the keepers I5 to frictionally hold said legs I0 folded.

Removable side and end extension panels II, I8 are provided for attachment to the side and end panels 2, 3 to increase the height of the sides and the ends of the crib frame I when said frame is used as a crib. The extension panels I1, I8 are provided withlower edge, longitudinally grooved, reinforcing bars I9, 20 adapted to rest on the top edges of the side and end panels 2, 3 and in which said panels I'I, I8 are suitably secured. For attaching the side and end extension panels II, I8, dowel pins 2| are provided on the reinforcing bars I9, 20 to frictionally fit in tubular sockets 22 set into the top edges of the side and end panels 2, 3 and forming with said pins 2| pull apart connections, whereby said extension panels I'I, I8 may be easily attached or detached.

A suitably padded seat is provided in the structure comprising a seat panel 24 of rectangular form with underlying reinforcing side bars 24 suitably fixed to the bottom thereof along the side edges of the same.

A pair of front and rear U-shaped hanger rods 25, 26 are provided for suspending the seat panel 23 from the side bars 8 directly beneath the opening I. The hanger bars 25, 23 straddle the seat panel 23 adjacent front and rear edges of said panel and are journaled in the reinforcing side bars 24 with lateral terminals 21 seat panel 23 is adapted to be swung longitudinally of the crib frame I forwardly of the opening I and into close proximity to the bottom panel into folded position, as shown in Figures 2 and 5. As will be clear, the hanger rods 25, 26 and the seat panel 23 may swing under the influence of gravity into unfolded position with the seat panel 23 positioned beneath the opening 1, as shown in Figure 4, at a distance therefrom such that an infant occupying the seat panel 23 will have its shoulders and arms extending upwardly through the opening I above the bottom panel 5. With the infant sitting, as described, the crib frame I provides a play tray around the same for supporting play things, thereon.

A back rest panel 28 with a face padding 29 is provided for the seat panel 23 and which is adapted to incline upwardly and rearwardly from the seat panel 23 through and above the opening I, when the seat panel 23 is unfolded,

and to rest against the rear edge of said opening I. A rear, lower edge reinforcing bar 33 on the back rest panel 28 is provided with dowel pins 30 for extension through suitable openings 32 inthe seat panel 23 and so that said back rest panel 28 may be detachably attached to the seat panel 23 with its lower edge resting on said seat panel.

A strap 33 for confining an infant on the seat panel 23, against slipping off forwardly, has one end connected, as at 34, to the seat panel 23 in r the longitudinal center thereof and at its front edge, the other end of said strap being connected, as at 35, to the bottom panel 5 in the longitudinal center of the same and whereby said strip is arranged to be straddled by the legs of the infant occupying the seat panel 23.

The back rest panel 28 is of the same size as the opening I and is designed to be fitted and secured therein to completely close the bottom panel 5 when the crib frame I is used as a crib. To this end, the padding 29 is hemmed, as at 36, to be slid over the upper edge of the back rest panel 28 for removal therefrom, sockets 31 are provided in the reinforcing bar 9 for receiving the dowel pins 3I to support said back rest panel in the opening I at one edge thereof, and a turn button 38 is provided on the upper edge of the back rest panel 28 to be revolved over the bottom panel 5 and hold said panel 23 level with said panel 5.

A foot rest 39 of panel form is provided with bottom reinforcing bars 49 at opposite sides thereof. A pair of relatively long and short, front and rear hanger rods 4|, 42 of U-shape, straddle said foot rest 39 at front and rear edges thereof andare journaled in opposite ends of said bars 40: with terminal ends of the longer front hanger rod 4I journaled in the front ends of the side bars 8, and the bight of the shorter, rear hanger rod 42 journaled in the front ends of the reinforcing bar 24 of the seat panel 23. As will be readily understood, the arrangement of the foot journaled in the side bars 8, and whereby said rest 39 and the hanger rods M, 42 is such that the foot rest is adapted to be swung longitudinally and forwardly of the crib frame I into folded position close to the bottom panel 5, as shown in Figure 5, and with the rear hanger rod 42 exerting a pull on the seat panel 23 to correspondingly fold said seat panel behind the foot rest 39 as shown in both Figures 2 and 5. Also, said foot rest 39 with the hanger rods M, 42 is adapted to swing under the influence of gravity to permit the foot rest to assume an unfolded pendant position in front of the seat panel 23, the seat panel 23 unfolding with said foot rest.

A pair of fastening straps 43 are attached to corresponding ends thereof, as at 44, to the angle brackets I2 at one end of the crib frame I and are attachable at the other ends thereof by snap fasteners 45 to the reinforcing bars 24 of the foot rest 39 to hold said foot rest, and hence the seat panel 23, in folded position.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, my invention includes means for attaching the crib frame I, at one side thereof, to the back 45 of the front seat 41 of an automobile 48 to suspend said frame, with the legs If! folded so that said frame may be used in transporting an infant in the automobile. The attaching means comprises a pair of resilient seat clamping hooks 49 adapted to be positioned over the back 46 in straddling relation thereto and having hook terminals 53 into which one side panel of the crib frame I may be inserted and supported thereby at its lower edge with the clamping hooks positioned adjacent opposite ends of said frame I. Right angled clamping bars 5I opposed to the clamping hooks 49 above the bottom panel 5 of the crib frame I are attachable to said hooks 49 by bolts 52 and wing nuts 53 to detachably clamp the supported side panel 2 of the crib frame I, and hence the crib frame I, so as to hold said frame in horizontal position.

As will be clear from the foregoing, with the seat panel 23 and the foot rest 39 folded, in the manner already described, the back rest panel 28 fitted in and secured in the opening I, and

' the side and end extension panels I'I, I8 in place,

a bed may be made in the crib frame I for an infant and in which the infant is safe in a nursery or in an automobile. Also with the seat panel 23 and foot rest 39 unfolded, in the manner described, the backrest panel 28 attached to the seat panel 23, and the extension panels l1, l8 detached, the structure may be usedas a combined chair and play tray either in the nursery, or home, or on the road, the tray forming crib frame I serving to confine the infant, together with the strap 33, on the seat panel 23 while the crib frame I provides ample tray space for toys or other articles within reach of the infant. When the structure is folded completely, in the manner already described, with the extension panels I'I, I8 detached, a compact bundle may be made of the same for conveying in a small space, or storing, for instance in an automobile trunk, or in a closet.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification, without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of. the appending claims,

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the class described, a rectangular frame having sides and ends and a bot tom provided with an opening therein, corner legs supporting said frame, a seat panel, means suspending said panel from said bottom beneath said opening for supporting an infant with the shoulders and arms extending through said opening above said bottom, said frame forming a play tray around the infant longitudinally grooved bars extending on top of said sides and ends along the same, side and end panels attached in said grooves to increase the height of said sides and ends, and means detachably attaching said bars on said sides and ends.

2. In a device of the class described, a rectangular frame having a bottom provided with an opening therein, foldable corner legs supporting said frame, a seat panel, parallel pivoted hanger rods suspending said seat panel at opposite sides thereof from said bottom beneath said opening for supporting an infant with the shoulders and arms projecting through the opening above said bottom, said frame providing a play tray around the infant, a foot rest, and pivoted hanger rods suspending said foot rest from said bottom and seat panel, all of said hanger rods being parallel to swing said seat panel and foot rest in parallel connected relation close to said bottom,

3. In a device of the class described, a rectangular frame having a bottom provided with an opening therein, foldable corner legs supporting said frame, a seat panel, parallel pivoted hanger rods suspending said seat panel at opposite sides thereof from said bottom beneath said opening for supporting an infant with the shoulders and arms projecting through the opening above said bottom, said frame providing a play tray around the infant, a foot rest, pivoted hanger rods suspending said foot rest from said bottom and relatively shorter hanger rods suspending said rest from said seat panel, said hanger rods being parallel to swing said seat panel and foot rest in parallel connected relation close to said bottom.

JAMES W. LAW'ION.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,161,657 Hansburg June 6, 1939 2,161,658 Hansburg June 6, 1939 2,213,633 Kern Sept. 3, 1940 -:'.--:-.r-r? --:-:'-r 

